FIAT 850 CAMBER COMPENSATOR SURVEY

Is this “jacking up” behavior common to the whole range of 850 models?
Yes, and on the 600s too as well as other makes and models from the era. There's lots of photos on the web if you go looking. If you haven't seen it, there's a well-known video of cars on the Nurburgring track in the 70s losing control at one spot that demonstrates the phenomena. Crazy to watch - no seatbelts, helmets or safety equipment!
 
Is this “jacking up” behavior common to the whole range of 850 models?
With various suspension options it can be minimized but YES, they do tuck under the outside wheel progressively going through esses in an Auto-X. One solution is OT1000 front and rear springs (1300-124), good shocks, low profile sticky tires, limit downward travel of rear A-arms with a strap or link, and move rear sway bar to front and replace rear with 1/8" larger diameter bar. However the thicker bars are also now unavailable. I'll post a pic/sketch of an easy "poor mans camber compensator" when I get a chance.
 
Sad news on fabricating any new camber compensators. I was able to obtain another of my original ones and took it to a spring shop here in Las Vegas. I was told the leaf size wasn't available anymore and couldn't be duplicated. The owner was knowledgeable and knew the Portland Oregon spring shop I originally acquired my stock from. EPA regulations have put the small custom fabrication of these springs beyond the ability of most shops. Sorry.

That is unfortunate news. No possibility of substituting a thicker material but cutting it narrower or thinner and going with a wider strip to get to the same spring force?

Thank you for trying in any case.
 
For anyone wondering what the real McCoy looks like, here is a genuine FAZA item that I sold earlier this year. Other than sourcing the spring steel, it'd be relatively straightforward to make something similar. Maybe use the front leaf spring from a 600 or 850? This was made in Italy.

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That is unfortunate news. No possibility of substituting a thicker material but cutting it narrower or thinner and going with a wider strip to get to the same spring force?

Thank you for trying in any case.
I asked the spring shop here that also and he said NO. Enough money would solve any problem but the two leaf progressive nature negated anything but a major research project. Maybe a run of a thousand and a manufacturer would bother to look into it. I've ben there before both as a consumer and as a seller. On short run items the first one is $1200 and the next one is $25 once they are set to mass produce.
 
Here's a photo of an 850 front leaf spring beside the Faza camber compensator. The arch in the springs is almost exactly the same.

The Faza piece leaves measure 4.2 x 45 mm. The 850 leaf is 5.0 x 60 mm and a 600 leaf is 4.9 x 53 mm. I could be off on the 600 thickness because it's on a car and is kinda rusty. Since I don't have a 600 leaf spring off a car I don't know how the arch compares, regardless a spring shop can re-arch them. I don't the spring rate between these and would have to be measured. The steel composition would also affect the spring rates. The 850 or 600 springs would obviously have to be trimmed to size.

So, it looks to me like you could take some 850 or 600 front leaf springs and make a good copy of the original camber compensator.

I have 3 sets of 850 front leaf springs available. Enough to make 6 or maybe 9 sets of compensators.

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Hello, I just joined this forum last week. I have a 1969 850 Spider, since 1987. I have been reading about the need for the camber compensators here and the logical explanations on why they are useful. I am interested in any plans to make a new batch from whatever source including the front stock leaf springs. I have a few of those on hand. I wish i would have been paying attention when these were available in the past. This is a great forum and resource. I hope i can contribute to the cause, Andrew
 
Andrew, I personally don't think you need to add any more unnecessary weight to the rear of the car. On my track car, I have welded loops on the bottom of the shock absorber bracket and a loop at the top and have a length of Dyneema [8mm] laced through that to limit the amount the semi-trailing arms droop. That and a 21mm thick swaybar on the front and the original on the rear the car handles well.
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On my track car, I have welded loops on the bottom of the shock absorber bracket and a loop at the top and have a length of Dyneema [8mm] laced through that to limit the amount the semi-trailing arms droop. That and a 21mm thick swaybar on the front and the original on the rear the car handles well.

I love your solution. I'm assuming you set the length of the Dyneema with the car on the ground?
 
I love your solution. I'm assuming you set the length of the Dyneema with the car on the ground?
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Yes. I should add that the shock absorbers are gas and larger than stock, the top bracket has been extended about 2 inches. The rear coils are from an OT1300.
 
Andrew, I personally don't think you need to add any more unnecessary weight to the rear of the car. On my track car, I have welded loops on the bottom of the shock absorber bracket and a loop at the top and have a length of Dyneema [8mm] laced through that to limit the amount the semi-trailing arms droop. That and a 21mm thick swaybar on the front and the original on the rear the car handles well.View attachment 33033
Thank you for the photo and feedback! I work on Alfa's and have the yellow limit straps they use on the rear, i could do something with those to do the same thing you did and it will remain all Italian with little extra weight! This forum is awesome!
 
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